Plenty to cheer for United U-15s in win

Elsewhere a busload of under-12s along with parents and supporters made the long trip to Portaferry, for their NIBFA cup match, arriving to be told the match was off due to the waterlogged pitch. A very disappointing and expensive outcome for all concerned.

The under 14s played superbly against Glentoran and certainly were as good as their opponents for most of the game,losing unluckily while the development side drew with Greenisland, again showing improvements.

The 13s’ bandwagon also continues to roll along, the boys making the trip to Ards to record another high scoring victory, quietly slipping into the last 16 of the National Cup.

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Ards Academy 0, BUYA 5: Jack Heron and Scott Marcus stuck to the task well and kept the Ards danger man quiet early on,with very good tackles, frustrating the attacker and immediately turning defence into attack.

Stand-in keeper Robbie McGaughey was outstanding also, pulling off no less than four one-on-one saves, keeping Ballymena in the game early on.

Ballymena got the deserved breakthrough goal on 17 minutes, when Aodh︠an Gillen chipped the keeper after running the channel.

Ballymena increased their lead through a neat low strike by Sean McKay on 35 minutes 0-2.

Rhys Hemphill joined in the goal scoring on 41 when he collected the ball, swivelled and hammered home inside the box.

The game was wrapped up with 5 minutes to go when a low ball was hammered across the face of the net and Thomas McKitterick slid in at the back post to make it 0-4.

Thomas added to his tally when he finished off a good move on 58 minutes. This was a very impressive win in difficult conditions and over a team who had only lost one game this season. MOM - Robbie McGaughey.

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Glentoran 3, BUYA 0: A good performance for United in a game where a scrappy goal and another late effort put an unfair gloss on the scoreline.

They played some excellent football at times,getting the better of the Glens’ midfield but where hindered again by injuries and depth in numbers.

Greenisland 2, BUYA Development 2: Another encouraging display for the boys, with a small squad on the day this was a hard earned point.

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BUYA 3, Glenavon 0: A battle of the blues on the 3g at the Showgrounds where there were no concerns with any pitch problems.

McCabe came close with a great effort before Issac Dunn hit a piledriver home from 35 yards.

A Matthew Logan cross was met by Stockman and finished well into the top corner.

Good link play from Armstrong and McCabe set up Jack Walshe with a strong shot firing home from 15 yards for thei third goal to round off a great team performance.